Breakfast Chia Pudding | Low Carb, Dairy Free, Keto & 17 Day Diet
7 min read
Breakfast Chia Pudding is the perfect go-to meal in the morning when you want to stay satiated until lunch time.
Chia Pudding For Breakfast
When I first started planning out my A Simple 17 Day Kickstart Meal Plan, I knew I had to take advantage of the many health benefits of chia seeds, especially when it came to needing a filling plant-based breakfast.
I created an updated version of my original Chocolate Chia Pudding that is usually eaten as a dessert, and using the same concept, I featured ingredients that are 17 Day Kickstart Diet friendly and designed to keep you fuller longer.
Not only will this Breakfast Chia Pudding give you four servings for breakfasts during your busy week, it’s also super easy to make!
This recipe is approved for all phases of the 17 Day Kickstart Diet.
If you’re not sure about which foods are approved on the Kickstart Diet, make sure you take a peek at my 17 Day Kickstart Diet Food List for all the details!
Is Chia Pudding Good For Weight Loss?
This Breakfast Chia Pudding recipe is a great weight loss meal!
Not only are chia seeds full of fiber, healthy fats and protein, they also expand and plump up when they sit overnight and make for a great breakfast keeping you full and satiated until your next meal.
Is Chia Pudding Keto?
If you’re on a Keto Diet (or even on the 17 Day Diet), then you’re in luck! Chia Pudding is very much Keto approved!
You can definitely use this recipe on a Keto Diet, so keep reading as I’ll let you know what changes, if any, are required to make this recipe work for either!
How Long Does It Take To Make Chia Pudding?
It’s actually quite easy to make this recipe. In fact, you’ll likely only spend a few minutes mixing the ingredients together for this Chia Breakfast Pudding recipe.
The longest part of this entire process is allowing your chia pudding to sit long enough for the chia seeds to plump up to make a pudding consistency.
I recommend allowing your Breakfast Chia Pudding to sit overnight in the refrigerator to allow the chia seeds to plump as big as possible to allow the mixture to become a pudding-like consistency.
However, if you’re in a rush and forgot to make your pudding the night before, you can achieve decent pudding consistency after the mixture has had a chance to sit for about an hour in the refrigerator. It won’t be as thick had you let it sit for 24 hours, but it will be doable.
How to Make Chia Pudding
Like I mentioned before, it’s easy to make chia pudding! All you need to do is find a container large enough to hold roughly two cups of liquid, mix your ingredients together and give the pudding time to thicken (waiting over night is best!).
This recipe calls for the following ingredients:
Breakfast Chia Pudding Coconut Milk
This Breakfast Chia Pudding recipe uses light unsweetened coconut milk. The emphasis is on “light” or “lite” as many store bought brands will indicate on the can.
Chia Pudding with Full Fat Coconut Milk
While this recipe is best used with a light coconut milk, I have used a few different brands of full fat coconut milk when I couldn’t get my hands on a lighter version.
When using a full fat coconut milk, be aware that when you put your chia pudding in the refrigerator overnight, the coconut milk will likely harden (that’s usually what happens with a full fat coconut milk depending on the brand’s fat content).
I have used two different brands of full fat, and only one of them hardened completely (the other wasn’t too bad).
If you prefer full fat, or if that’s all you can find, use it, but allow your pudding mixture to sit on the counter for about an hour to allow the chia seeds to plump up before storing it in the refrigerator.
Otherwise, the coconut milk will harden fairly quickly and won’t allow enough time for the chia seeds to fully plump up to their potential.
If you find your full fat coconut milk has hardened completely, no worries! Just scoop out your serving into a dish and put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds to loosen it up! Problem solved!
Chia Pudding Almond Milk
If you prefer to use Almond Milk or another nut or seed milk rather than coconut milk, be aware that you may need to add another 1/2 tablespoon or so of chia seeds to achieve a pudding-like consistency.
If you want a really easy nut milk recipe rather than a store bought one filled with chemicals, make sure you check out my Homemade Almond Milk recipe.
Breakfast Chia Pudding made from milk that’s not coconut-based, will likely not be as thick as if you used coconut milk.
Toppings for Chia Pudding
I personally love putting my favorite low-sugar berries on top of my Breakfast Chia Pudding. Strawberries, when in season and taste their best, are my go-to.
Blueberries are a perfect low carb fruit, as well as blackberries and raspberries.
If you want a higher carb fruit, sliced banana tastes perfect on chia pudding, too!
Here are some ideas for toppings for chia pudding:
- Low sugar fruit such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
- Healthy Homemade Lean Granola
- Nuts and Seeds
- Drizzle of Honey
- Ground Flax Seed (this is also great for thickening your pudding, if needed)
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Chia Pudding Chocolate
When you’re craving chocolate, even for breakfast, consider adding unsweetened cocoa powder to your chia pudding.
I recommend making your chia pudding plain and adding the cocoa powder to one serving to see how you like it. Plus, the cocoa powder will help thicken it up if it needs to be thickened.
A serving of Breakfast Chia Pudding is roughly 1/2 cup or so. Try adding one teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to your 1/2 cup serving of pudding and mix well. Adjust flavorings to your liking, including more cocoa powder and/or sweetener.
Keto Chia Pudding
If you happen to be on a Keto Diet, you can definitely use this recipe!
The only change I recommend making is use a low-glycemic sweetener instead of maple syrup!
Chia Pudding For The 17 Day Diet
As I mentioned before, this recipe can be used for the 17 Day Diet. While Dr. Mike’s brand new 17 Day Kickstart Diet allows for maple syrup and coconut milk, the original 17 Day Diet does not.
If you want to use this recipe for the original 17 Day Diet during Cycle 3, here are the changes I recommend:
- Use almond milk instead of coconut milk
- Use Stevia or Monk Fruit instead of maple syrup
Other Low Carb Breakfast Recipes
Need more ideas for breakfast? Make sure you check out my other low carb breakfast recipes that are perfect for losing weight:
If you make this recipe and you enjoy it, make sure you come back to leave a review. If you’re on social media, make sure you tag me @17ddblog so I can see what toppings you decide to use!
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons Chia Seeds (add an extra 1/2 T if you prefer a bit thicker pudding)
- 14 oz can of Light Coconut Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup (or more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of Sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or container, combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (if you are pressed for time, allow to sit for at least an hour)
- Prior to serving, give the mixture a final stir to ensure all chia seeds are evenly distributed.
- Evenly distribute 4 servings into airtight containers (store up to a week inside the refrigerator).
Notes
Approved for:
The 17 Day Kickstart Diet – all phases
The 17 Day Diet – Cycle 3 (use almond milk and stevia/monk fruit instead)
Keto Diet – use approved sweetener instead of maple syrup
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I’ve been loving the 17 Day Diet since 2011. I love sharing my favorite healthy recipes and meal plans to keep you motivated and on the right path to success!
When I’m not hanging out here, I enjoy quick trips to the Oregon Coast, designing my jewelry line and watching Outlander!
Are you new to the 17 Day Diet? Check out my latest book, My Lil’ Food Journal for The 17 Day Diet on Amazon! (aff link)
